Pneumonia in Nursing Homes
Nursing Homes sometimes overlook little important factors that may contribute to the health of your family member living in a Nursing home. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2003, Pneumonia was the seventh leading cause of death among the elderly. Nursing home staff often neglects home residents with lower respiratory infections. If neglected, lower Respiratory infections can progress into more serious infections like Pneumonia. In general, lower respiratory diseases include infections such as bronchitis and tracheobronchitis. However, Pneumonia in elderly can be very dangerous and not detectable. But when physicians or nurses monitor their elderly resident, they are able to properly diagnose the infection and prevent nursing home acquired Pneumonia. The use of diagnostic tools such as a chest x-ray can aid in the confirmation of any lower respiratory disease.
Nursing homes should be able to provide proper care for your loved one - both long term or short. The nursing home is liable and responsible for their lack of action in the prevention of nursing home acquired Pneumonia. An Arizona Nursing Home Lawyer/Advocate in the Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa or Scottsdale area can help you collect damages for the pain and suffering someone you know or family member have suffered while in the care of a Nursing home.
How dangerous is Pneumonia?
The Center for Disease control estimates that 1 out of 20 adults who have Pneumonia will die. These statistics increase with elderly since they already have a decreasing immune system and higher susceptibility to respiratory infections. Pneumonia is a disease that is associated with the lungs. The lungs suffer from inflammation and the alveolar (part of the lung) fills with fluid. The alveolar is an important part of the lungs because it helps in absorption of oxygen. In the elderly, if not treated, the pus that forms in the alveolar can enter and affect the blood stream. This could lead to possible complications with medical devices inside of the nursing home resident such as pace makers.
Symptoms:
- Difficulty Breathing
- Aggressive Cough
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Body aches
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite
Treatment for Pneumonia
- Antibiotics- Pencillin, Macrolides, Vancomycin
- Bacterial directed medication
- Viral directed medication
- Fungal directed medication
- Mycoplasma directed medication
- Direct hospitalization
Nursing Homes and Pneumonia
In a survey conducted among several nursing homes across the United States, the Center for Disease control estimates that 22,500 residents in nursing homes had pneumonia. Since most nursing homes do not have readily available technology like x-rays, sometimes the nursing home would rather not deal with a transfer of a patient to a local hospital to get proper diagnosis. The average stay according the CDC in a hospital for a person who had pneumonia while in a nursing home was 124 days.
Contact an Arizona Nursing Home Advocate Attorney
If a nursing home in the Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa or elsewhere in Maricopa County, has contributed to nursing home acquired pneumonia in a loved one due to negligence of proper diagnoses, they should be held responsible. An Arizona Attorney can help collect compensation. For more information about legal responsibilities in nursing homes see www.nursinghomeadvocates.com.
